The present invention relates to faucets for beverage dispensers and in particular the structure of a faucet to facilitate desirable flow characteristics.
By way of background a variety of faucets have been developed which include an outlet passage communicating with a reservoir and a dispense passage connected to the outlet passage. The dispense passage is the passage defined by a nozzle or dispensing tip. A controllable valve assembly is attached to the faucet body for controllably dispensing beverage from the outlet passage to the dispense passage. A variety of valve orientations have been developed which place a dispensing handle on the top of the faucet body or on the front of the faucet body. Generally, the outlet passage is at a right angle to the dispense passage, although other configurations could be produced.
Such a valve assembly can be designed for a variety of applications and flow rates. Flow rates generally can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the capacity of the outlet passage and dispense passage to either allow a greater or lesser amount of fluid to flow through the corresponding passages. Depending on the application, other structures or features can be modified, added, removed, or otherwise changed to obtain various desirable dispensing characteristics.
One of the dispensing characteristics that may be desirable for dispensing is the structure of the flow path or stream flowing from the dispense passage. In this regard, it may be desirable with hot substances or substances that stain or otherwise could result in a mess to have a generally coherent flow path or stream. By way of example, when dispensing coffee, it is desirable to maintain a generally coherent stream at least until the beverage reaches a corresponding container or cup. Maintaining a coherent stream prevents or reduces the chance of splattering, producing too wide or moving or unpredictable stream. It is desirable to keep the flow generally coherent so that it can arrive in the container without creating a mess. Additionally, there may be benefits to maintaining heat in a heated beverage by maintaining a relatively flow path, which prevents aeration of the beverage as it is dispensed. In other words, to maintain a coherent flow path maintains the heat energy within the flow and prevents the dissipation of the heat by transfer through a more dispersed flow.
At least one form of prior art faucet includes a dispense path which is has four lugs or ribs extending generally inwardly from an inside surface of the dispense path. In other words, the dispense path of the nozzle is defined as a generally straight, cylindrical passage extending through the nozzle structure with generally axial protrusions or ribs extending into the flow. An inside surface of the dispense path is defined by the walls of the nozzle. The ribs generally extend the length of the inside surface. These ribs produce a directional flow to the liquid passing through the dispense path. Many faucet designs have generally adopted this four rib approach.
Developments relating to faucet design have questioned the use of a four rib approach in all applications. In particular, a faucet having a relatively short nozzle length may not produce a dispensing stream from the nozzle satisfying a diverse variety of dispensing characteristics. The shortened path of the dispense passage may not provide sufficient length over which the four ribs can influence the characteristics of the flow. As such, there is a need to develop an improved faucet design, which provides desirable flow characteristics in a faucet, which has relatively short nozzle and corresponding dispense passage.